Wheel-raising device

ABSTRACT

A wheel-raising device comprising a base member, a ramp member joined at one end to the base member, a plurality of spaced-apart vertical supporting members positioned between the base and ramp, and a wheel-blocking member positioned on the ramp. The height to which the wheel is raised is adjustable in both relatively large and small ranges. The wheel-blocking member is releasably positioned at various locations along the ramp member, and the orientation of the blocking member at each location can be changed to vary the angle between the ramp and the wheelcontacting surface of the blocking member. The base, ramp, and supporting member can be fixedly attached to each other or, alternatively, pivotally connected whereby the device is collapsible for storage.

United States Patent [111 3,630,487

[72] inventor Lester E. wecllter, Jr. l,904,693 4/1933 Myers et al.254/88 X 404 Collins Avenue, West Seneca, N.Y. 2,227,750 1/1941 l-linson254/88 [2.1] A I N Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz pp o. Filed i1970 Attorney Christel & Bean [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [54]WHEEL-RAISING DEVICE 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 254/88, 248/352 [51] Int. Cl 866119/00 [50] Field olSearcll248/352; 254/5 A, 5 R, 45, 50, 88, 104

[56] Relerences Cited,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,503,781 8/1924 Baker 254/88 X ABSTRACT: Awheel-raising device comprising a base member, a ramp member joined atone end to the base member, a plurality of spaced-apart verticalsupporting members positioned between the base and ramp, and awheelblocking member positioned on the ramp. The height to which thewheel is raised is adjustable in both relatively large and small ranges.The wheel-blocking member is releasably positioned at various locationsalong the ramp member, and the orientation of the blocking member ateach location can be changed to vary the angle between the ramp and thewheelcontacting surface of the blocking member. The base, ramp, andsupporting member can be fixedly attached to each other or,alternatively, pivotally connected whereby the device is collapsible forstorage.

Patented Dec. "28, 1971 3,630,481

' 2 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR. L esZer'E weczfer, J?!

ATTORNEYS.

WHEEL-RAISING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesto vehicle wheel-raising devices and, more particularly, to awheel-raising device of the type onto which a wheel is driven whereuponit is supported and raised.

One area of use of the present invention is in conjunction with mobilehomes or trailers. When such vehicles are parked or uneven ground, acommon occurrence at camping sites, it is desired to raise one side orend of the trailer to provide a more level, comfortable condition of thefloor.

Wheel-raising devices have been proposed as a solution to this problem.They must be sufficiently strong in order to support such heavy vehiclesand the contents thereof. In addition, these devices should beadjustable in height to accommodate different degrees of uneveness interrain at various locations. In some wheel-raising devices heretoforeavailable, the components thereof which support the entire weight aremovable into different positions to provide this height adjustment. As aresult the attributes of structural rigidity and adjustability in heightbecome conflicting. Other types of wheel-raising devices are constructedin a manner which requires that the height adjustment be made before thevehicle wheel is placed on the device. As a result, the vehicle operatormust estimate the proper setting or adjustment for the device merelyfrom a visual inspection of the terrain. This undesirably overburdensthe operator and often results in an improper adjustment thus requiringthe vehicle wheel to be moved off the device and another adjustmentmade. In addition, many devices hereto fore available are cumbersome toassemble and other are not readily and easily stored in small places.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of this inventionto provide a wheel-raising device which allows height adjustment withoutsacrificing or limiting the structural rigidity of the device.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a wheel-raisingdevice which allows height adjustment to be per formed while the wheelis on the raising device.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a wheel-raisingdevice in which the height adjustment provided thereby may be performedin both relatively large and small ranges.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a wheel-raisingdevice which is collapsible so as to be conveniently stored in smallspaces and yet easily assembled into operative position.

The present invention provides a vehicle wheel-raising device includinga base member adapted to be placed on the ground and a ramp memberjoined at one end to the base member. A plurality of vertical supportingmembers of unequal height extend between the ramp and base and arearranged in a manner whereby the ramp is inclined with respect to thebase. The device includes a wheel-blocking member releasably connectedto the ramp member at any one of a number of locations along the topsurface of the ramp member whereby the height to which the wheel israised may be varied. The angle between the plane of the ramp member andthe surface of the blocking member which contacts the wheel also isvariable so as to provide an additional range of adjustment. Inaddition, the ramp and base may be pivotally connected and thesupporting members pivotally connected to the base whereby the device iscollapsible to facilitate storage.

By way of illustration the present invention will be described withparticular reference to trailers or mobile homes but the principles ofthe invention may be variously applied for raising wheels of other kindsof vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, and airplanes to mention a few.The foregoing and additional advantages and characterizing features ofthe present invention will become clearly apparent upon a reading of theensuing detailed description of two illustrative embodiments thereoftogether with the included drawing depicting the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofone embodiment of a wheel-raising device constructed in accordance withthe present invention as it would appear in use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the wheel-raising deviceof FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of thewheel-raising device provided by the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof; and

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS FIG. I shows awheel-raising device 10 provided by the present invention as it wouldappear in use under one wheel or tire II of a vehicle 12, such as amobile home or trailer. The device 10 comprises a base member 13 adaptedto be placed on the ground or road and a ramp member 14 connected at oneend to base member 13. Wheel-raising device I0 further comprises aplurality of vertical supporting members I5 extending between and spacedalong the base and ramp members I3, 14. Supporting members I5 preferablyare spaced equally, and the number is merely a matter of choice andconvenience, depending to a large extent on the length of base member 13and ramp member 14. In addition, vertical supporting members 15 are ofunequal height and arranged as shown in FIG. 1 so that ram member 14 isinclined with respect to base member I3.

Wheel-raising device 10 also comprises a wheel-blocking member 16 whichis releasably connected to ramp member 14 at any one of a pluralityspaced locations along the top surfaces thereof. Blocking member I6 isadapted to contact the circumferential or tread surface of wheel or tire11 as shown in FIG. I, and depending upon where blocking member 16 isconnected along the top surface of ramp 14, the height to which wheel 11is raised is adjustable within a first range. In addition, the plate, ofblocking member 16 can be changed at each location, as shown by thedotted line representation in FIG. 1, whereby the angle between theplane of ram member 14 and the plane of the surface of blocking member16 which contacts or abuts against wheel 11 is adjustable. By virtue ofthis arrangement, the height to which wheel 11 is raised is adjustablein an additional range.

Referring now to FIGS. 24 there is shown in more detail a firstembodiment of the wheel-raising device provided by the presentinvention. Base member 13 comprises a rectangular plate, preferably ofsheet steel, and likewise ramp member 14 is a rectangular plate of sheetsteel. In preferred form base 13 and ramp 14 each are 20 inches inlength and 8 inches in width. It should be noted, however, that ramp l4and base 13 can be made of different materials and in various sizeswithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. In thisparticular embodiment, ramp I4 is fixedly attached, as by welding, atone end to base member 13 as shown in FIG. 2 and is disposed in a planeextending at an acute angle relative to the plane of base member I3 soas to be inclined from the ground or road on which base member 13 isplaced.

Each of the vertical supporting members I5 is fixedly attached atcorresponding ends thereof to base and ramp members I3 and 14,respectively. In preferred form each of the members 15 comprises a steelplate which is welded to base 13 and ramp 14 as indicated in FIG. 2.Each plate I5 has a horizontal length preferably about equal to thewidth of base 13 and ramp 14, which from the illustrative dimensionsgiven earlier would be about 8 inches. Supporting members 15 haveunequal vertical heights, however, and are arranged such that the heightthereof progressively increases as the distance between base 13 and ramp14 increases as shown in FIG. 2. In preferred form the height of thedevice 10 measured along a line perpendicular to the plane of basemember I3 from the bottom thereof to the uppermost point on ramp I4 isabout 5 inches.

Wheel-blocking member 16, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, inpreferred form has three surfaces or sides 17, 18 and 19 which define atleast two unequal included angles. ln this particular illustration,wheel-blocking member 16 comprises an angle iron which provides sides 17and 18 and an iron plate welded thereto to provide side 19. The angleincluded between sides 17 and 18 is a right angle, and the other twoangles are equal and acute.

The operative position of wheel-blocking member 16 is with thelongitudinal axis thereof, in other words the axis parallel to theplanes of surfaces l7, l8 and 19 extending perpendicular to thedirection of travel of a wheel along ramp 14. The length of blockingmember 16 should be about equal to the width of ramp 14 to provide anadequate amount of blocking surface in contact with the wheel.Spaced-apart lugs 20 are provided in wheel-blocking member 16 andproject from two sides thereof. More particularly, as shown in F IGS. 2and 3, two lugs 20 project from side 19 and are spaced apart along aline parallel to the longitudinal axis of blocking member 16. In asimilar manner, two lugs 20 project from side 17 and are spaced apartalong a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of member 16. Lugs 20conveniently can comprise rivets extending through apertures provided inthe sides of blocking member and spot welded therein. in addition, lugs20 should be spaced apart a distance less than the length of blockingmember 16 but greater than the axial width of the wheels or tires whichwill be raised by the device.

When wheel-blocking member 16 is in an operative position on ramp 14,lugs 20 projecting from one side, for example side 17 as shown in FIG.2, are received in a set oftwo ofa plurality of apertures 21 provided inramp 14. In particular, each set comprises two apertures spaced along aline perpendicular to the direction of travel of a wheel on ramp 14 andthe centers thereof are a spaced apart a distance equal to the distancebetween the centers of lugs 20 projecting from a side of wheelblockingmember 16. A plurality of sets of apertures, in turn, are provided atspaced locations along ramp 14. By virtue of this arrangement,wheel-blocking member 16 is releasably connected in ramp member 14 andat any one ofa number of spaced locations along the length thereof.

In addition,wheel-blocking member 16 can be positioned in differentorientations at any one of the locations along ramp 14 whereby the sidethereof contacting the wheel extends from ramp 14 at selected differentangles relative thereto. Wheel-blocking member 16 is positioned in theexample of FIG. 2 with side 17 in contact with the top surface of rampl4 and with side 18 providing the surface which contacts or abuts thetread portion of the wheel to be raised. The wheel-contacting surface isdisposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of ramp 14. The anglebetween ramp l4 and the wheel-contacting surface of member can bechanged simply by lifting member 16 from ramp l4 enough so that lugs 20are no longer received in apertures 21 and then rotating member 16 aboutits longitudinal axis so that the next surface thereof which also haslugs extending therefrom can be connected on ramp 14. More particularly,it member 16 as shown in FIG. 2 is removed from ramp 14 in theaforementioned manner, rotated clockwise about the longitudinal axisthereof until side 19 and ramp 14 are parallel and then lowered thereonso that lugs 20 from side 19 are received in corresponding apertures 21in ramp 14, said 17 will be the wheel-contacting surface and will extendfrom ramp 14 at other than a right angle. More specifically, side 17 ofblocking member 16 in this position is disposed in a plane extendingfrom the plane of ramp 14 at an angle greater than 90.

lt should be apparent, therefore, that with blocking member 16 in thisother orientation, the height to which the wheel is raised is slightlyless than that corresponding to the orientation shown in FIG. 2,assuming that member 16 is connected in ramp 14 at the same location forboth orientations. When wheel-blocking member 16 is constructed as shownin FIG. 2, that is with two equal included angles and a third, differentangle, two angles of adjustment are provided. Although this constructionis preferred, blocking member 16 could have all three included angles ofdifierent sizes so as to provide three angles of adjustment between thewheel-contacting surface thereof and ramp 14.

It will be noted that wheel-blocking member 16 preferably is formed fromcast iron which provides sufficient structural rigidity while beingeconomical to manufacture. Other materials can be substituted, however,without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Forexample, blocking member 16 could be a solid block of wood having atriangular cross section and provided with dowel pins to serve as lugs.

The wheel-raising device 10 of the present invention is used in thefollowing manner. When the rest position of a vehicle, such as the onedesignated 12, is determined and it is found necessary to raise one ofthe wheels thereof. such as wheel 11 in FIG. 1, device 10 with blockingmember 16 removed therefrom is placed behind wheel 11 with base 13 onthe ground or road and oriented so that wheel 11 can be driven up ontoramp 14. Vehicle 12 then is moved toward device 10 so as to drive wheel11 up onto ramp 14. When wheel 11 has traveled along ramp 14 a distancesufficient to raise wheel 11 to a height necessary to provide thedesired degree of levelness in vehicle 12, wheel 11 is blocked againsttravel down ramp 14 by connection of wheel-blocking member 16 in ramp 14at a location therealong whereby a side of member 16 contacts the treadsurface of wheel 11 in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 1. Thelocation of wheel 11 along ramp 14 and hence the height to which thewheel is raised can be maintained quite exactly. This is because thelocation of the wheelcontacting surface of blocking member 16 isadjustable along the longitudinal axis of ramp 14 and, in addition, theangle between the plane of ramp l4 and that of the wheel-contactingsurface of member 16 is adjustable by virtue of the aforementionedconstruction whereby the orientation of wheelblocking member 16 can bechanged.

FIGS. -7 illustrate a second embodiment 30 of the wheelraising deviceprovided by the present invention. In addition to having all theattributes of wheel-raising device shown in FIGS. 14, this embodiment isreadily collapsible so as to be easily stored in small spaces and yeteasily assembled into operative position. Wheel-raising device 30includes a base member 31 which in this particular embodiment comprisesa rectangular plate 32 and first and second upstanding flange members 33extending from plate 32 and disposed in planes perpendicular to theplane of plate member 32 and parallel to the longitudinal axis of plate32. Plate 32 and flanges 33 preferably are of sheet steel, and base 31may be about inches in length and 8 /2 in width.

Wheel-raising device further includes a ramp member 35 which comprises arectangular plate connected at one end thereof to base member 31 by apivotal connection designated 36 in FlG. 5. ln particular, ramp 35 ispivotally connected to upstanding flanges 33, 34 of base 31 by anysuitable means, for example a pin movable within a sleeve welded to ramp35, the pin extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of ramp 35and journaled at each end thereof in corresponding apertures provided inflanges 33. Ramp 35 preferably is about 20 inches in length and of awidth, for example 8 inches, permitting it to fit between flanges 33 inthe manner shown in FIG. 5.

A wheel-blocking member 40 also is included and is similar to blockingmember 16 of the first embodiment. Blocking member 40 in preferred fromhas three sides 41, 42, and 43 which define at least two unequalincluded angles, the angle between sides 41 and 42 being a right angleand the other angles being acute and equal. Blocking member 40 likewiseis formed preferably from cast iron with an angle iron providing sides41 and 42 and a plate welded thereto providing side 43. The length ofblocking member 40 should be about equal to the width of ramp 35 toprovide an adequate amount of blocking surface in contact with the wheelwhen blocking member 40 is in an operative position wherein thelongitudinal axis thereof extends perpendicular to the direction oftravel of a wheel along ramp 14. The longitudinal axis, of course, isparallel to the planes ofsides 41, 42 and 43.

Blocking member 40 also is provided with spaced-apart lugs 44 two ofwhich project from side 41 and another two from side 43. Lugs 44 on eachof the sides 41 and 43 are spaced apart a distance greater than theaxial width of a wheel to be raised and along a line parallel to thelongitudinal axis of member 40. Lugs 44 likewise advantageously can beprovided by rivets projecting through apertures in the sides of blockingmember 40 and spot welded therein. Corresponding apertures 45 areprovided in ramp 35 in sets of two spaced along a line perpendicular tothe direction of travel of a wheel along ramp 35, the centers of holes45 being spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between thecenters of lugs 44 projecting from a side of wheel-blocking member 40. Aplurality of sets of apertures 45 are provided along ramp 35. By virtueof this arrangement wheel-blocking member 40, like blocking member 16included in the first embodiment, is releasably connected in ramp member35 and at any one of a number of spaced locations along the lengththereof. Also like member 16, wheelblocking member 40 can be positionedin different orientations at any one of the locations along ramp 35whereby the side thereof contacting the wheel extends from ramp 35 atselected different angles relative thereto.

Wheel raising device 30 also includes a plurality of vertical supportingmembers 50 extending between and spaced along the base and ramp members31, 35. The spacing between and number of supporting members 50 dependsto a large extent on the length of base member 31 and ramp member 35. Inaddition, vertical supporting members 50 are of unequal height andarranged as shown in FIG. 5 so that ramp member 14 is inclined withrespect to base member 31.

In this embodiment, each of the vertical supporting members 50 ispivotally connected at one end thereof to base member 31 whereby, inconjunction with the pivotal connection between base 31 and ramp 35, thedevice 30 can be collapsed and thus easily stored in small spaces. Inpreferred form, each of the members 50 comprises a plate having ahorizontal length slightly less than the width of plate 32, and eachplate is pivotally connected by suitable means at opposite ends thereofto'flanges 33, 34 of base 31. For example, the pivotal connectiondesignated 51 in FIG. 5 comprises a pin 52 rotatable in a sleeve 53which sleeve is attached to plate 50 near the bottom edge thereof,sleeve 53 having a length slightly less than plate 32. Opposite ends ofpin 52 are rotatably received in corresponding apertures provided inflanges 33 and 34. In addition, similar pivotal connections would beprovided for the rest of the vertical supporting members 50 positionedbetween base 31 and ramp 35.

Ramp member 35 is provided with a plurality of stops 54 on the undersidethereof which stops are adapted to abut the other end of each of thevertical supporting members 50 and restrain further pivotal movementthereof. Stops 54 are provided in pairs near the outer edges of ramp 35and spaced along a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of ramp35, as shown in FIG. 6. In addition, each pair is located along ramp 35so as to abut a corresponding plate or supporting member 50 when it ispivoted to a vertical position as shown in FIG. 5. Stops 54 preferablyare formed in ramp 35 by the wellknown technique of gusseting in which atool is forced or punched about halfway into ramp 35 so that thestrength of the metal is not adversely impaired. Alternatively stops 54can be separate elements attached to the underside of ramp 35 in asimilar arrangement and by suitable means such as welding.

By virtue of this arrangement, when wheel-raising device 30 is not to bein use and it is desired to store the same, ramp member 35 is raised byhand slightly and vertical supporting members 50 are pivoted in aclockwise direction from their operative positions shown in FIG. 5 to ahorizontal position where they rest on plate 32 of base member 31.Alternatively, the entire device can be picked up by hand, rotated 90clockwise from the orientation shown in FIG. 5, and ramp 35 moved in adirection so as to increase the angle between it and base 31, whereuponsupporting members 50 by gravity move about 90 into contact with base31. Ramp 35 then is lowered to a similar horizontal position therebyresting on supporting members 50 and base 31. Wheel blocking member 40can be disconnected from ramp 35 if desired. As a result the entiredevice can be stored easily in small spaces.

When wheel-raising device 30 is to be put in an operative position suchas that shown in FIG. 4, ramp member 35 is grasped at the end and raisedto an inclined position as shown in FIG. 5 and supporting members 50 arepivoted from horizontal to vertical position whereupon they contact orabut corresponding stops 54. Alternatively, assembly can be aided by theaction of gravity whereby the device is grasped at the end where base 31and ramp 35 are pivoted and held in a vertical position allowingsupporting member 50 to move about into place. This assembly operationcan be facilitated by the provision of additional stops 55 on plate 32near each supporting member 50 whereby each member 50 is restrainedagainst further pivotal movement in the same direction once a verticalposition is reached. in addition, movement of supporting members 50 inunison can be accomplished by including a flexible pull cord (not shown)connected to each of the members 50 at corresponding ends thereof.

When placed in the operative position shown in FIG. 5 but with blockingmember 40 removed, wheel-raising device 30 is used in the same manner asdevice 10 previously described. The vehicle is moved toward device 30 sothat the wheel thereof is driven up onto ramp member 35 and stopped at alocation which raises the wheel a distance sufficient to put the vehiclein the desired level condition. This location of the wheel on ramp 35 ismaintained by connecting blocking member 40 therein so that a surfacethereof contacts or abuts the tread of the wheel. This can be donerather exactly by virtue of the fact that additionally the orientationof member 40 can be changed so as to vary the angle between ramp 35 andthe wheel-blocking surface of member 40.

The present invention thus accomplishes its intended objects.Adjustability in height is obtained without sacrificing structuralrigidity because vertical supporting members 15 and 50, which supportramp members 14 and 35, respectively, in the two illustrativeembodiments, in no way are utilized also to provide the heightadjustment. Instead a separate wheelblocking member releasably connectedin the ramp at spaced locations therealong allows adjustment. Instead aseparate wheel-blocking member releasably connected in the ramp atspaced locations therealong allows adjustment in the height to which thewheel is raised. Moreover, this arrangement allows height adjustmentwhile the wheel is on the device rather than requiring that theadjustment be performed beforehand. Two ranges in this adjustment arepossible because the blocking member can be positioned at variouslocations along the ramp and at each of these locations the anglebetween the ramp and the wheel contacting surface of the blocking membercan be changed. In addition, the device can be stored easily in smallspaces by virtue of the pivotally connected ramp and base and pivotallyconnected supporting members.

While two specific embodiments of the invention have been described,this has been done by way of illustration without thought of limitation.

Iclaim:

1. A vehicle wheel raising device comprising:

a. a base member adapted to be placed on a supporting surface, forexample the ground;

b. a ramp member connected at one end to said base member;

c. a plurality of generally vertical supporting members extendingbetween and positioned along said base and ramp members, said supportingmembers terminating at the upper ends thereof along a plane inclinedwith respect to said, base member and arranged so that said ramp memberis inclined with respect to said base member; and

d. a wheel-blocking member having three sides which define at least twounequal included angles and provided on at least two sides thereof withtwo spaced-apart connecting means for releasable engagement withcorresponding pairs of connecting means provided on and spaced alongsaid ramp member, whereby said wheel-blocking member is releasablyconnected to said ramp member at any one of a number of spaced locationsalong the top surface thereof, and whereby said wheel-blocking member isadapted to be connected in different orientations at each location onsaid ramp member whereby the angle between the plane of said ramp andthe plane of the wheel-contacting surface of said wheel-blocking membercan be varied. 2. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim I whereinsaid ramp member is fixedly attached at the one end to said base memberand wherein each of said vertical supporting members is fixedly attachedat corresponding ends thereof to said blade and ramp member.

3. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 2 wherein said base andramp member each comprises a generally rectangular plate and whereineach of said vertical supporting members comprises a plate having awidth substantially equal to the width of said base and said ramp.

4. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said rampmember is pivotally connected at the one end to said base member andwherein each of said vertical supporting members is pivotally connectedat one end thereof to said base member.

5. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 4 wherein said rampmember is provided with stops on the underside thereof adapted to abutthe other end of said supporting members and restrain further pivotalmovement thereof when moved to a vertical position.

6. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 4 wherein said basemember comprises a generally rectangular plate and two upstanding flangemembers on opposite edges thereof, said ramp member comprises agenerally rectangular plate having a width slightly less than that ofsaid baseplate and pivotally connected to said upstanding flanges, andwherein each of said vertical supporting members comprises a platehaving a width slightly less than the width of said baseplate andpivotally connected to said upstanding flanges.

7. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 6 wherein each of saidvertical supporting members is attached along one edge to a sleeveextending perpendicular to and between said flange members and wherein apin extending through said sleeve is rotatably connected at oppositeends in each of said flanges.

8. A vehicle wheel raising device comprising:

a. a base'member adapted to be placed on a supporting surface, forexample the ground;

b. a ramp member connected at one end to said base member;

c. a plurality of vertical supporting members extending between andspaced along said base and ramp members, said supporting members beingof unequal height and arranged so that said ramp member is inclined withrespect to said base member; and 1 d. a wheel-blocking member havingthree sides which define at least two unequal included angles andwherein at least two sides of said wheel-blocking member are providedwith two spaced-apart lugs projecting therefrom, said ram member beingprovided with corresponding pairs of apertures being spaced along saidramp member, whereby said wheel-blocking member is releasably connectedto said ramp member at any one ofa number of spaced locations along thetop surface thereof, and said wheelblocking member is adapted to beconnected in different orientations at each location on said ramp memberwhereby the angle between the plane of said ramp and the plane of thewheel-contacting surface of said wheelblocking member can be varied.

1. A vehicle wheel raising device comprising: a. a base member adaptedto be placed on a supporting surface, for example the ground; b. a rampmember connected at one end to said base member; c. a plurality ofgenerally vertical supporting members extending between and positionedalong said base and ramp members, said supporting members terminating atthe upper ends thereof along a plane inclined with respect to said basemember and arranged so that said ramp member is inclined with respect tosaid base member; and d. a wheel-blocking member having three sideswhich define at least two unequal included angles and provided on atleast two sides thereof with two spaced-apart connecting means forreleasable engagement with corresponding pairs of connecting meansprovided on and spaced along said ramp member, whereby saidwheel-blocking member is releasably connected to said ramp member at anyone of a number of spaced locations along the top surface thereof, andwhereby said wheel-blocking member is adapted to be connected indifferent orientations at each location on said ramp member whereby theangle between the plane of said ramp and the plane of thewheel-contacting surface of said wheel-blocking member can be varied. 2.The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 1 wherein said ramp memberis fixedly attached at the one end to said base member and wherein eachof said vertical supporting members is fixedly attached at correspondingends thereof to said base and ramp member.
 3. The wheel-raising deviceas defined in claim 2 wherein said base and ramp members each comprisesa generally rectangular plate and wherein each of said verticalsupporting members comprises a plate having a width substantially equalto the width of said base and said ramp.
 4. The wheel-raising device asdefined in claim 1 wherein said ramp member is pivotally connected atthe one end to said base member and wherein each of said verticalsupporting members is pivotally connected at one end thereof to saidbase member.
 5. The wheel-raising device as defined in claim 4 whereinsaid ramp member is provided with stops on the underside thereof adaptedto abut the other end of said supporting members and restrain furtherpivotal movemenT thereof when moved to a vertical position.
 6. Thewheel-raising device as defined in claim 4 wherein said base membercomprises a generally rectangular plate and two upstanding flangemembers on opposite edges thereof, said ramp member comprises agenerally rectangular plate having a width slightly less than that ofsaid baseplate and pivotally connected to said upstanding flanges, andwherein each of said vertical supporting members comprises a platehaving a width slightly less than the width of said baseplate andpivotally connected to said upstanding flanges.
 7. The wheel-raisingdevice as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said vertical supportingmembers is attached along one edge to a sleeve extending perpendicularto and between said flange members and wherein a pin extending throughsaid sleeve is rotatably connected at opposite ends in each of saidflanges.
 8. A vehicle wheel raising device comprising: a. a base memberadapted to be placed on a supporting surface, for example the ground; b.a ramp member connected at one end to said base member; c. a pluralityof vertical supporting members extending between and spaced along saidbase and ramp members, said supporting members being of unequal heightand arranged so that said ramp member is inclined with respect to saidbase member; and d. a wheel-blocking member having three sides whichdefine at least two unequal included angles and wherein at least twosides of said wheel-blocking member are provided with two spaced-apartlugs projecting therefrom, said ramp member being provided withcorresponding pairs of apertures being spaced along said ramp member,whereby said wheel-blocking member is releasably connected to said rampmember at any one of a number of spaced locations along the top surfacethereof, and said wheel-blocking member is adapted to be connected indifferent orientations at each location on said ramp member whereby theangle between the plane of said ramp and the plane of thewheel-contacting surface of said wheel-blocking member can be varied.